[QuickTidal]

I've always maintained that I enjoyed "The Word & The Void" series that Brooks wrote that took place in our world, in present time, but involved magic and demons. It was a nice trilogy of books, and had great lead characters like Nest Freemark, and even Knight of the Word John Ross (although he is a pill in the second book cause he tries to NOT be a Knight any longer).

When I wanted to read more by him, I had heard of the Shannara series, and so when I was at the store I discovered that the first book was called "The Sword of Shannara" but a guy saw me with the book, and told me there was a prequel, The First King of Shannara....so I started there. I loved First King. Great stuff.....when I went on the original series I HATED it. Flat out. I didn't get all the way through Sword even.

Then a few years later I read Isle Witch (first book in the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series), and I while I was enjoying it, I stopped halfway through to start another book I had been waiting to come out and never went back.

It's been a number of years now, and a little while back I found that Brooks had begun to write a new series, which would eventually join the end of the apocalyptic earth brought about by the demons of the Void from the Word/Void books, to the lush world of Shannara.

I was intrigued, albeit misinformed about the plot. I had mentioned elves in blasted out California, which made another board member laugh (it may have been Abyss...not sure).....but I was actually wrong about that....really wrong, as I had not actually read the book.

So, I just (10 minutes ago) finished "Armageddon's Children", the first book in the Genesis of Shannara trilogy, and you wanna know what? It was REALLY good. It takes the idea that we as human society have let the world go to hell, and the demons have been able to systematically dismantle mankind's last vestiges. Humans live mostly in compounds around the world trying to stave off the plagues that ravage the earth, the mutants that have come from those plagues, and the demons and once-men who are orchestrating the downfall of humanity. Demons cross the States and one by one have breached each compound and killed the adult humans and stolen the children for use in demon experiments. Into this fray throw three factions: A: Knight of the Word Logan Tom, an anti-hero if I ever saw one, who after spending most of his years attacking Demon compounds to free trapped humans is given a new quest by O'olish Amaneh (Two Bears from the Word/Void books), that may help to move mankind through its darkest hour. B: A group of street kids living in the Seattle Underground who call themselves the Ghosts, and survive by their wits, and move through daylight streets with military precision, but something is ravaging the city around them and their home is not as safe as it was. C: Angel Perez, another Knight of the Word, but this one from Los Angeles, and also doing her bit for her order to help and trying to get children out of the city as Findo Gask (the demon from Angel Fire East) and his once-men hordes attack the compound. Once out of the city, Angel finds herself with a Tatterdemalion companion who has given her a quest to further the goals of the Knights of the Word and their Lady, chased by a demon who is stronger than any she has faced, she must go on a quest north to find.....elves.

No shit, Elves. Here I am reading this apocalyptic quasi-futuristic book (takes place about 100 years into our future), and into it there are chapters about a race of Elves who have lived in hiding since their kind decided to hide from the world. They look after the Ellcrys tree which binds other demons from the world. They do NOT live in blasted out California, and their existence is actually FAR more feasible than I would have thought. They live in the thick Willamette forests of Oregon, and they hide amongst the trees. It is said that if humans venture too close they are subtly turned away, or they don't see the forest for the trees as it were. I actually REALLY liked the elves addition to this story. The human world is so bleak at this point that it is nice to know that the elves (some at least) have decided to help.

So, all in all I really dug this book, and I plan to go out tomorrow and grab the second volume "The Elves of Cintra" as the first one ends on pretty much a cliffhanger for all involved....LOL....

and then the final book of the trilogy "The Gypsy Morph" is out this coming August I believe......sufficed to say, when I am done this trilogy, I might veture into some of the latter Shannara books and see what I think. I know I can't stand the Sword one, but that is because it is a bad copy of LOTR, but I hear the latter ones are not so much and have a life of their own. I realize this ain't Dickens, but I am having fun with this world. Brooks ain't bad. If you liked the Word/Void books, you are bound to like this one.....Logan Tom and Angel Perez are WAY better Knights of the Word than John Ross was anyways.

Also, Mike Newell (director of HP: Goblet of Fire, and Four Weddings and A Funeral) is directing The Elfstones Of Shannara for Warner Brothers, they start shooting soon.

[Aptorian]

This sounds very intriguing. Is there a lot of action in the story? Or is it just a lot of "oh no our world is dying" philosophy/emo crying?

[QuickTidal]

Aptorian;310510 said:

This sounds very intriguing. Is there a lot of action in the story? Or is it just a lot of "oh no our world is dying" philosophy/emo crying?

There IS some decent action, mostly with the Angel character and the demon chasing her. There is some action with Logan, but mostly in flashbacks, and the streetkids are mainly trying to solve a few mysteries. There's no huge battles...BUT....I hear that in the second and third books there ARE some big battles.

[The Tyrant Lizard]

I've read this. I thought it was pretty good the way he linked the Shannara books to the word and the voice books.

the Knight of the word is a little too jedi like for me though. having said that, he was still my favourite character in the story.

[QuickTidal]

The Tyrant Lizard;310614 said:

I've read this. I thought it was pretty good the way he linked the Shannara books to the word and the voice books.

the Knight of the word is a little too jedi like for me though. having said that, he was still my favourite character in the story.

Yeah, he is just a whole lot cooler than John Ross ever was as a Knight. I dig that some of his decisions are not the most admirable. It gives him a depth that I quite liked.

[DarkGothicGirl]

I really liked Armageddon's Children and I love his other books too.

[Cerberus Maw]

In respect to the later Shannara series, they do get better. The best (IMO) was Elfstones. I read it when I was about 11, and I still maintain that the Reaper was one of the coolest Demons ever. Wishsong is alright, but I found the main characters (Jar/Brin) were a bit whiney. But this is offset by Garet Jax.
However, the later books I felt kinda suffered. Scions... and some other ones. Just felt he was revisiting ideas that were already done.

Overall, I have a place in my heart of this wrier, cause he basically introduced my to Fantasy reading.

[The Tyrant Lizard]

I've read all the Shannara Books, and I maintain that Allanon was the best character. Because of this I liked the first trilogy better that the others.

The Sword of Shannara is basically a rewrite of TLotR though, so that takes away marks. Having said that, this is still the best book he ever wrote in my opinion.

[Use Of Weapons]

My favourite Shannara is Elfstones. I loved the Forbidding, the Ellcrys, the Reaper (awesome demon), the Dagda Mor (based on an Irish god, I believe), the final twist when Wil uses the blue Elfstones against the Reaper, and I loved the elves.

(And, in the original cover art, Wil was _hot_. )